Since 1997, the Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium (hereinafter referred to as the Symposium) has been held 25 times. Over the years, cooperation between the two regions has continued to grow in areas such as finance, professional services, science and technology, urban management, public services, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Symposium has become an important platform for promoting Beijing-Hong Kong collaboration and development, serving as a bridge for communication and exchange, and showcasing the complementary strengths and joint prosperity of both cities.

The economic and trade ties between Beijing and Hong Kong have been continuously strengthened. In the past 26 years, the Symposium has played a significant role in advancing economic and trade cooperation. Investment models have evolved from traditional cooperation to a variety of approaches, with partnerships expanding beyond trade and investment into finance, technology, culture, pharmaceutics, healthcare, and more. The flow of investment has shifted from Hong Kong solely investing in Beijing to mutual, two-way investment, sharing development opportunities. In recent years, the economic cooperation between the two cities has yielded significant results. In 2023, from January to September, a total of 424 Hong Kong businesses were established in Beijing, with actual foreign investment reaching USD 9.26 billion, making up 84.8% of Beijing's total foreign investment, ranking first. These investments mainly focused on scientific research, technology services, information transmission, software, IT services, leasing, and business services.

The cooperation areas between Beijing and Hong Kong have been continuously expanded. Both regions attach great importance to their cooperation, which has been key to Beijing's efforts to expand its opening-up, attract international high-end resources, and drive high-quality industrial growth. Over the past 26 years, the Symposium has resulted in over 570 signed projects with a total value exceeding USD 110 billion. In recent years, there has been extensive collaboration in fields like digital economy, finance, business, the BRI, and youth entrepreneurship. Successful projects include the World Financial Center, TaiKoo Li Sanlitun, INDIGO, and the construction of Hong Kong International Airport by Beijing Urban Construction Group. Additionally, the MTR Corporation Limited has helped operate several Beijing metro lines, including Lines 4, 14, and 16, boosting the efficiency of the city's metro system.

The 26th Symposium was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 29–30, 2023, with the theme "Deepen Cooperation for a Shared Future." The event focused on areas of strength in both regions, with an emphasis on Hong Kong's role as a "gateway" in China's two-way opening-up. The Symposium connected international resources through activities such as environmental presentations, seminars, exhibitions, and investment consultations, further expanding and deepening collaboration between Beijing and Hong Kong in services, sci-tech innovation, digital economy, consumption, and the BRI. This facilitated practical and effective discussions and project matchmaking, achieving high-level mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.

The Symposium featured the "1+14" model, which refers to a total of 15 activities, including an Opening Ceremony and 14 Specialized Beijing-Hong Kong Cooperation Sessions. Focusing on the areas of strength, development needs, and hot topics in economic and trade cooperation between Beijing and Hong Kong, these sessions were organized around five main themes: innovation-driven development, open cooperation, digital economy, international consumption, and collaborative growth. Among them, ten sessions such as smart technology innovation and financial services took place offline in Hong Kong, while four were conducted via video link between the two cities, covering topics like food safety and intellectual property. Additionally, major investment projects were announced, and a signing ceremony for Beijing-Hong Kong cooperation projects was held during the event.